Jeremiah 50:16. "Cut off from Babylon the sower, and the one who handles the sickle in the time of harvest; because of the sword of the oppressor, every one shall return to his own people, and every one shall flee to his own land."

Jeremiah is prophesying the fall of Babylon, on whom God will take vengeance and "do to her as she has done." (Jeremiah 50:15) In God's name, Jeremiah is urging Israelites to "Flee from the midst of Babylon" (Jeremiah 50:8), as her fall is coming.

A few years ago, as I was beginning to really see the depths of the depravity in the West, especially in my country, and the lengths that those with power and money would go to to keep the depravity hidden, I wrote a blog post titled "I Think We Might Be Babylon". The United States was not only leading her own people astray, but negatively impacting the whole world: promoting scandalous, immoral behavior; paying for abortions and birth control to be promoted in other countries; promoting radical gender ideology; and the list goes on and on. It was clear that we needed a reckoning, that something had to happen to reverse the wicked corruption of our own people, our meddling with the world, and our spreading of our idolatry. This reckoning, I knew, would not be easy for any of us.

I think that reckoning has now begun. Some of the evil we have been doing is beginning to be revealed (but not yet the worst of it, unfortunately). Meanwhile, even the elements - earth, wind, fire, water - are turning against us, which is another way God gets our attention. In The Book of Heaven, Jesus tells this to Luisa several times, including: "How many more cities will be destroyed; how many peoples buried under the ruins; how many places buried and plunged into the abyss.  The elements will take the part of their Creator.  My Justice can bear no more; My Will wants to Triumph, and would want to Triumph by means of Love in order to establish Its Kingdom.  But man does not want to come to meet this Love, therefore it is necessary to use Justice.” Volume 20, November 16, 1926.

As this upheaval continues, we are being called to return home, just as the Jews were being called to return home from Babylon. The home we are to return to is the Church. She is the only true place of refuge from any of this (although she, too, has elements of Babylon in her that will be chastised into removal). Return to the Church does not promise earthly comfort and safety from the effects of our wickedness, we have never been promised that, in fact Jesus promised the exact opposite. But the Church is the place Jesus established to lead us to our ultimate comfort and safety in Heaven. That is what God wants for each of us. That is why everything that is happening is happening; so that all will "flee Babylon" and "turn to his own people". We do not have to leave our homes, cities, or country to return to the Church. We just have to return in our hearts and our minds. Then, just as the Jews rebuilt Jerusalem when they returned from the Babylonian captivity, we can begin to rebuild the Church, thus building the Kingdom of God here for our children and for future generations.

So even though I still think we might be in Babylon, and will suffer through her fall, I also think we are living in incredibly exciting times! We are blessed to have been chosen for this time and this battle, and we would not be here if God didn't know we are the right people to leave Babylon and rebuild Jerusalem.